Print control apparatus, print control method, and storage medium

ABSTRACT

A printing apparatus to communicate with a terminal apparatus, includes a storing unit, an acquiring unit, a receiving unit, and a printing unit. The storing unit stores information for specifying first paper types selectable in the terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus acquires the information from the printing apparatus and displays the first paper types as selection candidate paper types. The acquiring unit acquires a second paper type. The receiving unit receives a first paper type from the first paper types for printing of an image. The printing unit prints the image where the first paper type corresponding to second paper types is received and any of the second paper types corresponding to the first paper type is acquired, and does not print the image where the first paper type corresponding to second paper types is received and another second paper type different from the second paper types is acquired.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/820,311, filed on Aug. 6, 2015, which claims priority fromJapanese Patent Application No. 2014-162929, filed Aug. 8, 2014, all ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a print control apparatus causing aprinting apparatus to print an image, a print control method, and astorage medium.

Description of the Related Art

According to a technology in the past, a printing apparatus performsprocessing based on the type indicating the property of print paper anda characteristic (hereinafter, called a paper type) of a surface ofprint paper for appropriate printing on the print paper. Various papertypes are available such as plain paper usable for printing text mainlyand photographic paper or photo paper usable for printing a photographmainly. For example, an ink jet printer may perform printing suitablefor a given paper type by changing the ink ejection amount and the inktype based on the paper type.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-51221 discloses that the paper typeof print papers set in a printing apparatus is registered with theprinting apparatus.

However, even in a case where the paper type of print papers set in aprinting apparatus is registered with the printing apparatus asdisclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-51221, designating anappropriate paper type may sometimes not be easy for users.

For example, many types of photographic paper are available such as aglossy type, a matt type, a silky type, a high-class type, and a cheaptype. These various paper types may prevent a user from designating anappropriate paper type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, a printing apparatuswhich communicates with a terminal apparatus, the printing apparatusincludes a storing unit configured to store information for specifyingfirst paper types selectable in the terminal apparatus, wherein theterminal apparatus acquires the information from the printing apparatusand displays the first paper types as selection candidate paper typesbased on the information, an acquiring unit configured to acquire asecond paper type of a print paper set in the printing apparatus, areceiving unit configured to receive a first paper type which isselected by a user on the terminal apparatus from the first paper typesfor printing of an image, and a printing unit configured to print theimage, in a case where the first paper type corresponding to secondpaper types is received by the receiving unit and any of the secondpaper types corresponding to the first paper type is acquired by theacquiring unit, and not to print the image, in a case where the firstpaper type corresponding to second paper types is received by thereceiving unit and another second paper type different from the secondpaper types is acquired by the acquiring unit.

The present invention provides a technology which allows a user toeasily designate a setting regarding an attribute of print paper andallows appropriate printing according to an attribute of print paper setin a printing apparatus. The present invention allows a user to easilydesignate a setting regarding an attribute of print paper and allowsappropriate printing according to the attribute of print paper set in aprinting apparatus. More specifically, a print control apparatusaccording to the present invention causes the printing apparatus toprint an image in accordance with the attribute if a category designatedby a user of categories of attributes of print paper supported by theprinting apparatus is matched with a category including an attribute ofprint paper set in the printing apparatus. Further features of thepresent invention will become apparent from the following description ofexemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system configuration of a printing system accordingto an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates print sequence in a printing system according to anembodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process for registering paperinformation with a printing apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a screen for registering paper information.

FIG. 5 illustrates paper information to be registered with a printingapparatus.

FIG. 6 illustrates correspondence between paper types and paper typecategories.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a print job issuing process to beperformed by a terminal apparatus.

FIG. 8 illustrates a print setting screen to be displayed on a terminalapparatus.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of print job data according to anembodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating print processing to be performed bya printing apparatus.

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate a flowchart describing details of acomparison process in print setting to be performed by a printingapparatus.

FIGS. 12A to 12C illustrate examples of results of a print settingprocess according to an embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system configuration of a printing system accordingto an embodiment.

The printing system according to this embodiment includes a terminalapparatus 110 configured to generate a print job and a printingapparatus 120 configured to issue a print instruction, receive a printjob and perform printing processing.

The terminal apparatus 110 includes a CPU 111, a ROM 112, a RAM 113, acommunication unit 114, an operating unit 115, and a display unit 116.The components of the terminal apparatus 110 are connected via a bus.

The CPU 111 is a control unit configured to generally control theterminal apparatus 110. The ROM 112 is a non-volatile memory configuredto store a program and parameter for controlling the terminal apparatus110. The RAM 113 is a volatile memory functioning as a work memoryusable when a process is executed by the CPU 111, for example.

The CPU 111 decompresses and executes in the RAM 113 a program stored inthe ROM 112 to execute a corresponding process in the terminal apparatus110. For example, the CPU 111 generates a print job for causing theprinting apparatus 120 to print an image and transmits the print job tothe printing apparatus 120.

The communication unit 114 is an interface for communication with anexternal apparatus and is capable of transmitting information to anexternal apparatus and receiving information from an external apparatus,under control of the CPU 111. The communication unit 114 may be a wiredor wireless interface. The applicable communication system may be awireless or wired LAN, for example, or may be any other systems such asa USB and an NFC (Near Field Communication).

The operating unit 115 is an operating device to be operated by a user.The operating unit 115 may be a key, a touch pad, a mouse, a keyboard, astick device, a wheel device or the like. In accordance with anoperation performed by a user on the operating unit 115, an instructionfrom the user is input to the CPU 111. The display unit 116 isconfigured to display information such as an image and an icon undercontrol of the CPU 111. The operating unit 115 and display unit 116 maybe integrated into a touch panel.

In this configuration, when the terminal apparatus 110 generates a printjob, for example, the CPU 111 causes the display unit 116 to displayprint setting information. Then, a user may operate the operating unit115 to select a desired print setting on the display unit 116 and issuea print instruction. In response to the print instruction, the CPU 111generates print job data including the print setting selected by theuser and causes the communication unit 114 to transmit the print jobdata to the printing apparatus 120 connected to the communication unit114.

The CPU 111 may include image data of an image to be printed in theprint job data or may separately transmit an image to be printed.Alternatively, information (such as a URL) describing a storage locationwhere an image to be printed is stored may be transmitted instead of theimage itself.

The terminal apparatus 110 is a mobile terminal such as a cellular phoneor a smart phone. An image processing device such as a personal computeror a server or an apparatus such as a camera may execute a process inthe terminal apparatus 110 according to this embodiment.

Next, a configuration of the printing apparatus 120 will be described.

The printing apparatus 120 includes a CPU 121, a ROM 122, a RAM 123, acommunication unit 124, an operating unit 125, a display unit 126, andprinting unit 127, a paper feeding unit A 128, and a paper feeding unitB 129.

The CPU 121 is a control unit configured to generally control theprinting apparatus 120. The ROM 122 is a non-volatile memory configuredto store a program and parameter for controlling the printing apparatus120. The RAM 123 is a volatile memory functioning as a work memoryusable when the CPU 121 executes a process, for example.

The CPU 121 decompresses and executes in the RAM 123 a program stored inthe ROM 122 to execute a process in the printing apparatus 120.

The communication unit 124 is a wireless or wired interface having thesame configuration as that of the communication unit 114 in the terminalapparatus 110 and performs communication based on one of thecommunication systems. The operating unit 125 is an operating device tobe operated by a user and may be of any type, like the operating unit115 in the terminal apparatus 110. In accordance with an operationperformed by a user on the operating unit 125, an instruction from theuser is input to the CPU 121. The display unit 126 is configured todisplay information such as an image and an icon under control of theCPU 121. The operating unit 125 and display unit 126 may be integratedinto a touch panel, like the terminal apparatus 110.

The printing unit 127 is a printing device configured to print an imageon a print medium such as print paper. The printing unit 127 performsinkjet printing which ejects ink to a print medium for printing.However, printing may be performed based on electrophotography whichapplies toner to a print medium or other systems.

Each of the paper feeding unit A 128 and paper feeding unit B 129 isconfigured to store print papers on which an image is to be printed bythe printing unit 127 and feed print paper to the printing unit 127. Thepaper feeding unit A 128 and the paper feeding unit B 129 are paperfeeding units which are independent from each other and are capable ofstoring and feeding print papers having different sizes from each otherand of different types from each other.

In this configuration, the CPU 121 can receive print job data as a printinstruction through the communication unit 124 from the terminalapparatus 110 connected to the communication unit 124. Then, byexecuting an analysis program in the ROM 122, print setting informationincluded in the print job data is acquired.

The CPU 121 then causes the printing unit 127 to execute printprocessing in accordance with the print setting information. In a casewhere image data of an image to be printed includes the print job data,the CPU 121 decompresses the image data in the RAM 123, performsprocesses for printing to generate print data and then outputs the printdata to the printing unit 127. In a case where the print job dataincludes a storage location of the image to be printed, the CPU 121 mayaccess the storage location through the communication unit 124 toacquire image data. By performing the same processes as in theaforementioned case, the printing unit 127 is caused to print the image.

Attributes such as a paper size and a paper type of print papers set inthe paper feeding unit A 128 or paper feeding unit B 129 may beregistered with the printing apparatus 120. The printing apparatus 120prints in accordance with print settings in consideration of anattribute of print paper described by print setting information withinprint job data and an attribute registered with the printing apparatus120. Details thereof will be described below.

FIG. 2 illustrates a print sequence in the printing system according tothis embodiment.

In step 201, a user may set papers in the paper feeding unit A 128 orpaper feeding unit B 129 in the printing apparatus 120. In step 202, auser may operate the operating unit 125 in the printing apparatus 120 toregister a paper attribute on a display screen of the display unit 126.More specifically, a paper type and a paper size are registered with theprinting apparatus 120. Details of the processing will be describedbelow with reference to FIG. 3.

When the paper registration in step 202 completes, a user in step 203may instruct execution of the printing to the terminal apparatus 110.The terminal apparatus 110 in response to the print instructiongenerates a print job in step 204 and issues the print job to theprinting apparatus 120 in step 205. In step 206, in the print job isreceived from the terminal apparatus 110, the printing apparatus 120executes the printing in accordance with details of the print job.

When a user executes a print instruction in step 203, the paper settingand the registration of a paper attribute in steps 201 and 202 are notrequired. In a case where papers are preset and attributes arepre-registered, a print instruction may be performed at an arbitrarytime point.

In order to generate a print job in step 204, a user defines printsetting conditions for execution of the printing, such as varioussettings including a paper size, a paper type, one-sideprinting/double-side printing, and a layout. The printing apparatus 120is capable of executing printing according to various paper types.

The paper type corresponds to a property of print paper or acharacteristic of a surface of print paper in a case where an inkreceiving layer is provided on the surface. For example, paper types maybe roughly categorized into plain paper which is mainly usable forprinting a document and photographic paper which is usable for printinga photograph, for example. Paper types related to photographic paperhave been varied with increases of performance of photo printingfunctions of ink jet printers. Thus, various paper types are included inattributes of photographic paper, such as a glossy type, a matte type, asilky type, a high-class type, and a cheap type.

For improved print quality, the printing apparatus 120 performs printingaccording to the various paper types. However, on the other hand, in acase where a user sets a print paper attribute such as a paper type inthe terminal apparatus 110, prompting a user to select one of thevarious paper types may sometimes complicate user's operations.Furthermore, a registerable print setting such as a paper type maydiffer in accordance with the model of the printing apparatus 120. Thus,for example, prompting a user to define detail settings in accordancewith the model may further complicate user's operation, preventingappropriate settings.

Accordingly, this embodiment provides a model-independent printingsystem (hereinafter, called a standard printing system) by which anapplication in the terminal apparatus 110 is not adjusted to individualspecifications of each model of the printing apparatus. Morespecifically, a print condition (such as a paper type as a print paperattribute) set by a user in the terminal apparatus 110 is amodel-independent setting. In other words, the terminal apparatus 110prompts a user to designate a common paper type category (including aplurality of paper types) for a plurality of models, instead ofprompting a user to designate such an attribute itself. Then, theprinting apparatus 120 having received a print job including the printcondition sets, as a print condition, a model-dependent attributecorresponding to the category designated by the user and registered withthe printing apparatus 120.

In other words, a user defines rough settings necessary for printing inthe terminal apparatus 110, and detail settings are definedautomatically in the printing apparatus 120. This allows reduction of aload relating to the print condition settings on a user, and processesbased on the detail print conditions may be performed in the printingapparatus 120. Details thereof will be described.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing for registering paperinformation in a printing apparatus according to this embodiment. Theprocessing in FIG. 3 corresponds to step 202 in FIG. 2. A programcorresponding to the processing in FIG. 3 is stored in the ROM 122, andthe CPU 121 executes the program in the RAM 123 to execute theprocessing in FIG. 3.

In step 301, the CPU 121 determines whether paper setting into theprinting apparatus 120 by a user has been detected or not. According tothis embodiment, each of the paper feeding unit A 128 and the paperfeeding unit B 129 has a sensor, not illustrated. The sensors in step301 determine whether the paper setting has been detected. For example,a sensor may be provided which detects the opening or closing of a papercassette provided in each of the paper feeding units. When the sensordetects that the paper cassette is opened or closed, the paper settingis determined. Alternatively, a sensor may be provided which detects thepresence/absence of print paper in the paper cassette, and the sensormay thus determine the paper setting. Alternatively, when a useroperates the operating unit 125 after paper is set, the paper settingmay be notified to the CPU 121.

If the paper setting is detected in step 301, whether paper informationdescribing an attribute (such as a size and a type) of print paper is tobe registered manually or automatically is determined in step 302.Manually, a user may operate the operating unit 125 to register paperinformation on a screen of the display unit 126. Automatically, on theother hand, paper information may be acquired by reading a radio tag ora barcode on print paper by a reader, for example. The sensor mayanalyze a paper attribute such as a paper size and a paper type, and thepaper information may be registered.

According to this embodiment, manual or automatic registration of paperinformation is preset. The CPU 121 in step 302 checks the setting todetermine manual or automatic registration.

If the automatic registration is determined in step 302, automaticdetection of paper information is executed in step 303. Morespecifically, as described above, the sensor may read a radio tag or abarcode on print paper to detect the size and type of the print paper.In step 304, the CPU 121 determines whether the automatic detection instep 303 has been performed appropriately. For example, if a radio tagor a barcode on print paper is not detected, it is determined that theautomatic detection has failed. Alternatively, if a result of thedetection of the size and type of the print paper by the sensor is notmatched with a fixed size or a predetermined type prestored in theprinting apparatus 120, it is determined that the automatic detectionhas failed.

If it is determined that the automatic detection has failed in step 304or if the manual registration is determined in step 302, the processingin step 305 is executed. In step 305, the CPU 121 causes the displayunit 126 to display a screen for registering the paper information.Details of the screen will be described below with reference to FIG. 4.

In step 306, an instruction to register paper information from a user isinput. The register instruction includes an instruction to select apaper size and a paper type and an instruction to determine paperinformation. By performing the processing in step 305 and step 306, auser is allowed to check the paper information registration screen andregister paper information.

In step 307, the CPU 121 registers the paper information acquired by theautomatic detection in steps 303 and 304 or the paper informationinstructed manually by a user in steps 305 and 306. More specifically,the paper information is stored in the RAM 123 or ROM 122 in associationwith the paper feeding unit in which paper is set in step 301. In step307, the CPU 121 identifies the sensor having detected the paper settingin step 301 between the sensors provided in the two paper feeding unitsso that the paper feeding unit in which the paper have been set can beidentified. Then, the paper information is registered in association ofthe identified paper feeding unit.

The printing apparatus 120 may only execute the manual registration ofpaper information. In this case, the processing in step 302 may beomitted. The paper information registration may be executed at anarbitrary time point after the paper setting is detected withoutlimiting to the execution in response to the detection of the papersetting in step 301.

FIG. 4 illustrates a screen for registering paper information. Thescreen is displayed in step 305 above.

A display item 402 indicates a paper feed port with which paperinformation is to be registered between paper feed ports (papercassettes) of the paper feeding unit A 128 and the paper feeding unit B129. According to this embodiment, each of the paper feeding unit A 128and the paper feeding unit B 129 has a sensor configured to detect theopening or closing of its paper cassette. Thus, if paper setting isdetected in step 301, the paper feeding unit to which paper is set maybe identified. Therefore, the display item 402 automatically displaysthe paper feeding unit in which a user has set paper.

The printing apparatus 120 may include one paper feeding unit, forexample. In this case, the display item 402 may not be displayed.Alternatively, three paper feeding units may be provided.

The display item 403 may be displayed for prompting a user to register apaper size. The paper size may be A4, letter-size, L-size or the like.In a case where the operating unit 125 includes a cross key, forexample, a user may use an up/down key to focus on the display item 403and use a right/left key to input a selection instruction to select apaper size. In a case where the operating unit 125 includes a touchpanel, for example, a user may touch the display item 403 and thenperform a horizontal drag operation or a flick operation to input aninstruction to select a paper size.

A display item 404 is displayed for prompting a user to register a papertype. Paper types may vary in plain paper, photo paper and so on. Forexample, selectable paper types of photo paper may include glossy photopaper, matte photo paper, and proprietary photo paper provided by amanufacturer of the printing apparatus 120. Because a paper type may beselected by performing a similar selection operation to that forselecting a paper size, the description will be omitted.

In order to perform the manual registration, the automatic detection ofpaper information in step 303 may be applied. For example, the papersize and paper type acquired by the automatic detection are displayed inthe display items 403 and 404, and a user may check them on the screenand may change them as necessary.

A user may select desired paper information on the screen illustrated inFIG. 4 and press a confirmation key, not illustrated, in the operatingunit 125. Thus, paper information registration process in step 307 isexecuted.

As described above, according to this embodiment, detail paperinformation according to the printing apparatus 120 may be registered inthe registration process in FIG. 3. More specifically, detail papertypes such as glossy photo paper and matte photo paper may be registeredas a photo paper type.

However, in the terminal apparatus 110 according to this embodiment,“photographic paper” is settable as a paper type category, for example,but a detail paper type is not allowed to be set in the photographicpaper. Therefore, in the printing apparatus 120, a detail paper typedesignated by the processing in FIG. 3 is registered in association witha paper type category settable in the terminal apparatus 110corresponding to the paper information.

FIG. 5 illustrates paper information registered in the printingapparatus 120. The table illustrated in FIG. 4 is stored in the ROM 122or RAM 123 by the processing performed by the CPU 121 in step 307.

An item “paper feed port” 501 indicates one applicable paper feedingunit of the two paper feed ports of the paper feeding unit A 128 andpaper feeding unit B 129. Here, a value corresponding to “paper feedingunit A” or “paper feeding unit B” is registered as information on thepaper feed port 501.

Items “paper size” 502 and “paper type” 504 indicate information on apaper size and a paper type, respectively, registered with the printingapparatus 120 by the processing in FIG. 3.

An item “paper type category” 503 indicates a category corresponding tothe paper type displayed in the paper type 504. In the printingapparatus 120, the paper type registerable as the paper type 504 and acategory corresponding to the paper type are associated in advance inthe ROM 122. Then, the CPU 121 refers to the association to determinethe paper type category 503.

FIG. 6 illustrates a correspondence between paper types and paper typecategories. The table as illustrated in FIG. 6 is prestored in the ROM122.

The paper types 601 includes plain paper, postcard, envelop, high-classphoto paper, cheap photo paper, matte photo paper, glossy photo paper,silky photo paper, and film photo paper. Each paper type is associatedwith a paper type category 602. The paper type categories 602 includeplain paper category, postcard category, envelop category, and photopaper category. In accordance with the categorization in FIG. 6, plainpaper, postcard, and envelop are categorized into the plain papercategory, postcard category, and envelop category, respectively, and theother types are categorized into the photo paper category.

The CPU 121 identifies a paper type category corresponding to the papertype 504 to be registered by referring to the information illustrated inFIG. 6 in step 307 in FIG. 3 and registers it as the paper type category503. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, paper of “L-size glossyphoto paper” and paper of “A4 matte photo paper” are set in the paperfeeding unit A 128 and the paper feeding unit B 129, respectively. Thus,in the paper type category 503, “photographic paper” is registered withboth of the two paper feeding units. For example, in a case where “plainpaper” and “envelop” are registered as the paper type 504, “plain paper”and “envelop” may be registered with the paper type category 503.

For example, in a case where the printing apparatus has the paperfeeding unit A 128 only, the value indicative of the paper feeding unitA may only be registered as the paper feed port 501, or the paper feedport 501 may be omitted. The paper information 500 may include the papertype category 503. The CPU 121 may refer to the table in FIG. 6 asrequired to identify the paper type category corresponding to the papertype 504.

As described above, when a user sets paper in step 201 in FIG. 2, theprocessing for registering paper information (step 202) described withreference to FIGS. 3 to 6 is executed.

Next, the processing in and subsequent to step 203 in FIG. 2 will bedescribed in detail.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a print job issuing process to beperformed by the terminal apparatus 110. This process corresponds tostep 204 in FIG. 2. A program corresponding to the flowchart illustratedin FIG. 7 is stored in the ROM 112 in the terminal apparatus 110, andthe CPU 111 executes the program on the RAM 113 to implement theprocessing in FIG. 7. For example, an application program capable ofimplementing the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 7 is pre-installed in theROM 112. The CPU 111 then executes the application program.

In the processing in FIG. 7, a process for connecting to the printingapparatus 120 is performed in the terminal apparatus 110 and is executedafter an image to be printed is selected from images within the ROM 112by the application in the terminal apparatus 110. For example, theprocessing in FIG. 7 is executed if a user selects an image to beprinted on display unit 116 and “print setting button” or “print button”on the display unit 116 is then instructed.

In step 701, the CPU 111 acquires user selectable print settings in theterminal apparatus 110. More specifically, when the application programis installed, information describing the selectable print settings inthe application program is stored in ROM 112. In step 701, informationon print settings stored in the ROM 112 is acquired. Print settingsselectable in the terminal apparatus 110 are acquired from the printingapparatus 120 through the communication unit 114.

In step 702, the CPU 111 causes the display unit 116 in the terminalapparatus 110 to display a screen for prompting a user to select a printsetting. The print settings acquired in step 701 are selection candidateprint settings on the screen displayed in step 702.

FIG. 8 illustrates a print setting screen displayed in the terminalapparatus 110.

A print setting screen 801 includes a title 802 indicating that thisscreen shows a print setting menu and item names 803 to 808 indicatingprint setting items.

On the screen illustrated in FIG. 8, a user is allowed to select apredetermined setting for each item by using the operating unit 115. Auser may select a print setting by operating a cross key or a touchpanel in the operating unit 115 like the operations in the printingapparatus 120 as described with reference to FIG. 4.

The item “paper size” 803 is usable for selecting a paper size such as“A4” and “L-size”.

The item “paper type category” 804 is usable for selecting a paper typecategory such as “photographic paper”, “plain paper”, “envelop”, and“postcard”. The paper type category 804 corresponds to the paper typecategory 503 registered with the printing apparatus 120, which isillustrated in FIG. 5. In other words, in the terminal apparatus 110,instead of the paper type 504 in the printing apparatus 120, a papertype category of the paper type 504 is designated.

In the printing apparatus 120, the paper type category 503 correspondingto a paper type category 804 selected in the terminal apparatus 110 isidentified, and printing is performed based on the paper type 504associated with the identified paper type category 503.

Thus, detail settings, such as the paper type 504, depending on the typeof the printing apparatus 120 are automatically determined in theprinting apparatus 120. Therefore, the print setting screen 801 in theterminal apparatus 110 may not display a detail paper type.

The paper type category 804 is not a detail paper type name depending ona manufacturer, unlike the paper type 504. Thus, a user may define aprint setting without knowing the paper type name depending on anindividual printing apparatus. Even when an application programinstalled in the terminal apparatus 110 supports a plurality of modelsof printing apparatuses, a model-dependent paper type name may not bedisplayed by the application.

According to this embodiment, the paper type category 804 corresponds tothe paper type category 602 described with reference to FIG. 6, but theymay not be identical information. For example, the paper type category804 may be defined as a specification based on a predetermined printingsystem standard. For example, in the terminal apparatus 110, “plainpaper”, “postcard”, “envelop”, and “photographic paper” settable as thepaper type category 804 are associated with “plain paper category”,“postcard category”, “envelop category”, and “photo paper category”,respectively, as the paper type category 602 in the printing apparatus120. Thus, in the example in FIG. 5, “photo paper category” as the papertype category 602 in FIG. 6 is registered as “photographic paper” forthe paper type category 503.

The terminal apparatus 110 and the printing apparatus 120 may use thecommunication unit 114 and communication unit 124 which arecommunication units to perform a process for synchronizing the papertype category in a negotiation process in a printing system executedwhen the terminal apparatus 110 and the printing apparatus 120 areconnected.

The printing side 805 indicates a print layout when printing isexecuted, and a printing side of print paper, such as “single-side” and“both-sides”, on which an image is to be printed is selected. Inaddition, the number of pages to be printed on one print paper such as“2in1” and “4in1”, may be selected, and whether a margin is to beprovided at ends of print paper, such as “borderless printing” and“bordered printing”, may be selected.

A display item “print quality” 806 indicates a finish of printing, and“normal” may be selected when priority is given to the printing speed,or “high definition” may be selected when priority is given to the printquality.

A display item “color” 807 indicates color of an image to be printed,and color of an image to be printed such as “polychrome” or “monochrome”may be selected.

A display item “paper feed port” 808 is usable to designate a paper feedport to be used for printing, and a paper feed port such as “paperfeeding unit A” or “paper feeding unit B” may be selected.

Settings selectable on the screen illustrated in FIG. 8 are limited tothe print settings acquired in step 701. For example, in a case wherethe printing apparatus 120 does not support double-side printing,“single-side” is only selectable with the printing side 805. In thiscase, the printing side 805 may not be displayed. No particularlimitation is imposed on settings selectable with the display items 803to 808. For example, text describing “automatic” may be displayed in acase where settings are based on application specifications of theterminal apparatus 110 or on the specifications of the printingapparatus 120. In such a case, print settings with those items may bedefined automatically by an application program or the printingapparatus 120. Alternatively, a setting item “automatic” may be an onlyoption, and other item names may not be displayed. No particularlimitation is imposed on the content and layout of print setting screen801. For example, the title 802 may be omitted for the print settingmenu.

In step 703 in FIG. 7, print settings are determined in accordance withuser instructions given on the screen displayed as illustrated in FIG.8, and when a confirmation is instructed with the operating unit 115,the print settings are determined. The confirmation may be instructed bya user by touching a “confirmation button”, not illustrated, displayedon the display unit 126, for example, through a touch panel functioningas the operating unit 115. The thus determined print settings are storedin the RAM 113 in the terminal apparatus 110.

In step 704 in FIG. 7, the CPU 111 issues a print job in response to atouch performed on the “print button” displayed on the display unit 126through the touch panel functioning as the operating unit 115. Morespecifically, the CPU 111 generates on the RAM 113 print job dataincluding the print settings determined in step 703 and stored in theRAM 113, and the print job data are transmitted to the printingapparatus 120 through the communication unit 114. The processing in step704 corresponds to the processing in steps 204 and 205 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of print job data according to thisembodiment. The print job data are generated in step 704.

A print job 900 includes print settings 910 and print data 920. Theprint settings 910 have print setting information corresponding to theitems 903 to 908. The print setting information corresponds to the items803 to 808 described in FIG. 8, and includes print settings selected bya user on the screen in FIG. 8.

Print data 920 are data to be printed. In a standard printing system,the print data 920 may be a data format defined under specification andstandard of the standard printing system, instead of a format inherentto the printing apparatus 120. The format of the print data 920 is notlimited, but it is assumed in this embodiment that the print data 920are JPEG image data. Other data than the print settings 910 and theprint data 920 may be included in the print job 900.

The print settings 910 and the print data 920 may be put together in onefile, like the print job 900, for example, or may be separate data sets.For example, the print settings 910 and the print data 920 may bedivided into two data sets, and the print settings 910 are onlytransmitted first from the terminal apparatus 110 to the printingapparatus 120, and the print data 920 may then be transmitted.

No particular limitation is imposed on settings to be included in theprint settings 910 in the print job 900, and such settings may not belinked with the values of the items 803 to 808 selected on screendisplayed in FIG. 8. For example, a case is assumed where “polychrome”or “monochrome” is selected by a user by designating the color 807 onthe print setting screen 801 for an item “color” 907. In this case, anapplication in the terminal apparatus 110 may execute image processingfor rendering an image to be printed in polychrome or monochrome. Inthis case, because the print data 920 contain image data reflecting thecolor already designated by a user, the print settings 910 may notinclude the item “color” 907.

When the terminal apparatus 110 issues a print job including the printsettings 910 by performing the processing in step 704 in FIG. 7, theprint job is received by the printing apparatus 120. In step 206 in FIG.2, the printing apparatus 120 executes printing. The print processing tobe performed by the printing apparatus 120 will be described in detail.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating print processing to be performed bythe printing apparatus 120. A program corresponding to processing inFIG. 10 may be stored in the ROM 122, and the CPU 121 may execute theprogram on the RAM 123 so that the processing in FIG. 10 may beimplemented.

In step 1001, the CPU 121 determines whether a print job 900 is receivedby the communication unit 124 or not. If the print job is received, theCPU 121 analyzes the print job in step 1002. More specifically, the CPU121 acquires print settings corresponding to the items 903 to 908 in theprint settings 910 included in the print job 900. The CPU 121 in step1002 acquires paper information 500 of the printing apparatus, which isstored in the RAM 113 or ROM 112 by the processing in FIG. 3.

In the CPU 121 in step 1003 compares the “print settings 910 in theprint job” and the “paper information 500 of the printing apparatus”acquired in step 1002. More specifically, they are compared with respectto three items of paper size, paper type category and paper feed port.Based on whether the paper information matched with the settings for thethree items in the print settings 910 is included in the paperinformation 500 or not, whether the paper information is to be used ornot is determined. Details of the processing in step 1003 will bedescribed in detail with reference to FIGS. 11A and 11B.

If the paper information 500 of the printing apparatus 120 has the threeitems matched with those in the print settings 910, the processing movesto step 1005. The CPU 121 in step 1005 executes printing in accordancewith the paper feed port 501, paper size 502 and paper type 504 definedin the paper information 500 and printing side 905, print quality 906,and color 907 in the print settings 910. In other words, the CPU 121causes the paper feeding unit defined in the paper feed port 501 to feedprint paper. Image processing according to an image processingparameter, mechanical parameter based on settings of other setting itemsand print paper conveyance control are performed to cause the printingunit 127 to print an image based on the print data 920. For example, ina case the printing apparatus 120 performs inkjet printing, the CPU 121controls the components to change the ink ejection amount and the inktype according to the paper type so that printing suitable for the papertype may be executed.

On the other hand, if the paper information 500 of the printingapparatus 120 does not have the three items matched with those in theprint settings 910, the CPU 121 in step 1006 performs processing for acase where they are not matched. For example, the print job 900 may becancelled as an error. Alternatively, settings registered as the paperinformation 500 with the printing apparatus 120 may be applied bypriority in accordance with predetermined specifications, or settings inthe print settings 910 within the print job 900 may be applied bypriority.

In a case where the print settings 910 which are settings in theterminal apparatus 110 are applied by priority, a predetermined papertype is applied for the paper type category in the print job 900. Forexample, cheap photo paper may be used as a print setting forphotographic paper. In step 1006, a user may select whether the printsettings 910 which are settings in the terminal apparatus 110 are to beapplied by priority or the paper information 500 which are settings inthe printing apparatus 120 are applied by priority. In this case, a usermay be inquired by the display unit 126 in the printing apparatus 120,or the failure of matching may be notified from the printing apparatus120 to the terminal apparatus 110 so that the inquiry may be implementedon the display unit 116 in the terminal apparatus 110.

As described above, a “forced printing” button may be displayed in acase where printing is to be executed in accordance with settingsregistered as the paper information 500 with the printing apparatus 120or settings in the print settings 910 within the print job 900. The“forced printing” button is displayed after an error indication is givenon the display unit 126 in the printing apparatus 120 or the displayunit 116 in the terminal apparatus 110. If the “forced printing” buttonis pressed by a user, printing is performed in accordance with the papersize (paper type category) and paper type in the paper information 500in the printing apparatus 120 or defined in the print job 900.

If the settings in the print job 900 are to be applied by priority andonly if the paper size designated in the print job 900 is equal to orsmaller than the paper size in the paper information 500, for example,the “forced printing” button may be displayed. If the paper sizedesignated in the print job 900 is larger than that in the paperinformation 500, printing an image corresponding to the paper size inthe print job 900 may sometimes result in an image printed larger thanthe actual size of paper and partially lacking. Therefore, in this case,the “forced printing” button may not be displayed to prevent printingsuch a partially lacking image.

Alternatively, if the “forced printing” button is pressed, printing maybe performed on print paper from a paper feeding unit with a paper sizeequal to or larger than the paper size designated in the print job 900between the two paper feeding units. If such a paper feeding unit is notavailable, an error indication may be given or the “forced printing”button may not be displayed in the first place.

In step 1006, the settings in the paper information 500 may be notifiedfrom the printing apparatus 120 to the terminal apparatus 110. The papertype category and paper size corresponding to the paper information 500may then be displayed in the terminal apparatus 110. This allows a userin the terminal apparatus 110 may reset the print settings by graspingthe settings supported the printing apparatus 120. In this case, theterminal apparatus 110 may issue a print job again, or the changed printsettings 910 may be transmitted from the terminal apparatus 110 to theprinting apparatus 120. In the latter case, the printing apparatus 120prints the print data 920 within the print job 900 received when anerror occurs in accordance with the received changed print settings.

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate a flowchart describing details of theprocessing for comparing print settings to be performed by the printingapparatus 120. The flowchart in FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrates details ofthe processing in step 1004 in FIG. 10.

The CPU 121 in step 1101 determines the presence/absence of a paper feedport designated in the print settings 910 in a print job. For example,in a case where “automatic” is selected for the paper feed port item 808on the screen illustrated in FIG. 8, the paper feed port item 908 in theprint job displays “automatic” or is left blank. In this case, it isdetermined that no paper feed port is designated in the print settings910. The processing moves to step 1105 if not in step 1101 while theprocessing moves to step 1102 if so.

The CPU 121 in S1102 refers to the paper information 500 and acquirespaper information corresponding to the paper feed port designated in theprint setting 910 in the print job. More specifically, a paper feed portdesignated in the print setting 910 is specified between the two paperfeed ports specified under the paper feed port 501. The paper size,paper type category 503, and paper type 504 in the paper informationhaving the paper feed port 501 matched with the paper feed port isacquired.

However, paper information may not be registered with the printingapparatus 120 for the paper feed port designated in a print job. Forexample, “paper feeding unit B” may be designated in the print job 900while paper information including “paper feeding unit B” may not beregistered in the paper information of the printing apparatus. For that,the CPU 121 in step 1103 may determine whether the paper information hasbeen acquired in step 1102 or not is determined. If not, the processingmoves to step 1113. In step 1113, it may be determined that no paperinformation 500 of the printing apparatus is matched with the printsettings 910 in the print job. In this case, “No” is determined in step1004 in FIG. 10.

On the other hand, if the paper information has been acquired in step1102, “Yes” is determined in step 1103, and the processing moves to step1104. The CPU 121 in step 1104 narrows paper information candidatesregistered with the printing apparatus 120. For example, in a case where“paper feeding unit B” is designated in a print job and paperinformation including “paper feeding unit B” is also included in thepaper information 500 of the printing apparatus, the paper informationincluding “paper feeding unit B” is only handled as a print settingcandidate to be used finally in printing. The other paper information ofthe printing apparatus, such as paper information including “paperfeeding unit A”, for example, is excluded from the print settingcandidates.

Next, the CPU 121 in step 1105 determines whether a paper size isdesignated in the print settings 910 in the print job. In other words,whether a user has designated a paper size as the paper size 803 on thescreen in FIG. 8 and whether “automatic” is designated are determined.The determination method is performed in the same manner as in step1101. If a paper size is designated, the CPU 121 in step 1106 acquirespaper information on paper for the printing apparatus as the paper size502 matched with the paper size designate in the print job. Theacquisition method is the same as that in step 1102. If the paperinformation candidates are not narrowed in step 1104, whether the papersize designated in the print job is set or not based on the narrowedpaper information only.

The CPU 121 in step 1107 determines whether paper information includingthe paper size matched with the paper size designated in the print jobhas been acquired. If not, the aforementioned processing is executed instep 1113. For example, the processing in step 1113 is executed if the“A4” is designated in the print job 900 and print information including“A4” is not registered in the paper information of the printingapparatus. If it is determined in step 1107 that paper informationincluding a paper size matched with the paper size designated in theprint job has been acquired, the processing moves to step 1108.

The CPU 121 in step 1108 narrows print setting candidates to the paperinformation acquired in step 1106. For example, if a print job includes“A4” is designated as a paper size and a setting including the papersize “A4” is also registered in the paper information 500 of theprinting apparatus, the paper information including “A4” is included inprint setting candidates. The other paper information of the printingapparatus such as paper information of the printing apparatus including“L-size” is excluded from print setting candidates.

Next, the CPU 121 in step 1109 determines whether a paper type categoryis designated in the print job. In other words, whether the paper typecategory 804 in FIG. 8 has a paper type category designated by a userand whether “automatic” is designated is determined. This determinationmethod is the same as those in steps 1101 and 1105. If it is determinedin step 1109 that a paper type category is designated in the print job,the processing moves to step 1110.

The CPU 121 in step 1110 acquires paper information having the papertype category 503 in the print paper information 500 matched with thepaper type category designated in the paper type category 904 in theprint settings 910 in the print job. If paper information is narrowed instep 1108, the narrowed paper information is only a subject of theprocessing in step 1110.

The CPU 121 in step 1111 determines whether the paper information hasbeen acquired by the processing in step 1110. The determination methodis the same as those in steps 1103 and 1107. If it is determined in step1111 that the paper information has not been acquired in step 1110, theprocessing in step 1113 is executed. For example, if “photographicpaper” is designated in the print job and if no paper informationincluding “photographic paper” is registered in the paper information ofthe printing apparatus, the processing in step 1113 is executed.

If it is determined in step 1111 that paper information has beenacquired, the processing moves to step 1112. For example, if“photographic paper” is designated in the paper type category 904 in theprint job 900 and paper information including “photographic paper” asthe paper type category 503 of the paper information 500 is registered,the paper information is acquired, and the processing in step 1112 isexecuted.

The CPU 121 in step 1112 identifies the paper type 504 set in the paperinformation acquired in step 1110.

For example, as a result of the processing in steps 1101 to 1111, paperinformation displayed in a lower row of the table illustrated in FIG. 5may be left as a print setting candidate, and “photographic paper” maybe designated as the paper type category 904 in the print job 900. Inthis case, in step 1112, “matte photo paper” is identified as the papertype 504.

In a case where, for example, the narrowing in steps 1104 and 1108 isnot performed and the paper information corresponding to the paperfeeding unit A 128 and paper feeding unit B 129 includes a paper typecategory designated in the print job 900, two paper type candidatesexist. In a case where none of the paper feed port, paper size, andpaper type category is designated in the print job 900, two paper typecandidates exist.

Accordingly, the CPU 121 in step 1114 determines whether a plurality ofpaper types 504 exist as candidates to be selected as a print settingusable for printing. In a case where candidates have been narrowed intoone, the processing in FIGS. 11A and 11B completes. The paperinformation including the narrowed paper type 504 is used as a printsetting in the printing in step 1005 in FIG. 10.

On the other hand, if a plurality of paper types 504 exist as printsetting candidates, the candidates are narrowed into one based onpredetermined priority order in step 1115. For example, based onpriority order determined for paper feeding units, a paper typeregistered for one having a high priority level between the paperfeeding unit A 128 and the paper feeding unit B 129 is selected. Then,the paper information including the narrowed paper type 504 is used as aprint setting in the printing in step 1005 in FIG. 10. The priorityorder for paper feeding units may be fixed or may be determined by auser by operating the operating unit 125 on a screen of the display unit126, for example. A paper feeding unit having a high priority levelbetween the paper feeding unit A 128 and the paper feeding unit B 129may be predetermined as a default setting, and a user may change thepriority level. If the priority order is fixed, any one of the paperfeeding unit A 128 and paper feeding unit B 129 may have a higherpriority level. However, in a case where, for example, two paper feedingunits are provided on horizontal two steps under the printing unit 127in the printing apparatus 120, the paper feeding unit placed at thehigher step may have a higher priority level. Because the distance isshort from a paper feeding unit placed at a higher step to the printingunit 127, giving high priority to the paper feeding unit placed at ahigher step may improve the printing speed.

If it is determined in step 1114 that a plurality of paper types existas print setting candidates, the processing in step 1113 may beexecuted. Alternatively, the paper information 500 of the printingapparatus may be narrowed by using the color 907, printing side 905designated in the print job 900, for example. It is assumed, forexample, that one of two candidates belongs to the photo paper categoryand the other belongs to the plain paper category. Plain paper may oftenbe used as print paper when “monochrome” is designated as the color 907and “both-sides” is designated as the printing side 905. Thus, if“monochrome” is designated as the color 907 or if “both-sides” isdesignated as the printing side 905, paper information having “plainpaper” set as the paper type 504 may be selected.

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate an example in which a print job and paperinformation are compared in order of the items of paper feed port, papersize, and paper type category. However, items to be compared and thecomparison order are not limited thereto. For example, the comparisonand narrowing on paper feeding units in steps 1101 to 1104 may not beperformed. Furthermore, the comparison and narrowing on paper sizes insteps 1105 to 1108 may not be performed.

As described above, the processing in FIGS. 11A and 11B compares a printsetting designated by a user in the terminal apparatus 110 and paperinformation registered with the printing apparatus 120. Then, paperinformation matched with the print setting designated by a user isselected as a print setting usable for printing. Thus, printing may besecurely implemented in accordance with attributes (size, type) of printpaper desired by a user and set in the printing apparatus 120.

According to the processing in FIGS. 11A and 11B, a user designates arough paper type category such as “photographic paper” to the terminalapparatus 110 instead of a detail attribute such as the paper type 504in the printing apparatus 120. Paper information having the paper typecategory corresponding to the paper type category designated by a useris acquired, and the detail paper type 504 designated in the paperinformation is automatically reflected to the print settings.

This allows a user to designate a paper type easily in the terminalapparatus 110 and thus printing based on the detail paper typeregistered with the printing apparatus 120.

According to this embodiment, the terminal apparatus 110 may not have todesignate a detail paper type dependent on the model of the printingapparatus 120 and however is allowed to execute printing based on such adetail paper type. Thus, for example, because an application forprinting which operates on the terminal apparatus 110 may not berequired to be dependent on the model of the printing apparatus 120, theapplication may be usable for printing apparatuses of a plurality ofmodels. Therefore, for example, when a user owns printing apparatuses ofa plurality of models, the user may not be required to installapplications individually supporting such a plurality of model.Application developers may not be required to develop applicationsindividually supporting such a plurality of models.

Next, print settings to be set by the processing described withreference to FIGS. 11A and 11B will be described with reference to FIGS.12A to 12C. FIGS. 12A to 12C illustrate an example of a result of aprint setting process according to this embodiment.

Paper information illustrated in FIG. 12A is registered as the paperinformation 500 of a printing apparatus. FIG. 12C illustrates printsettings to be actually used in the printing in step 1005 in FIG. 10when settings of cases 1 to 3 are executed as print settings 1210 of aterminal apparatus.

The print settings 1210 of the terminal apparatus in the case 1 includes“paper feeding unit B” designated as a paper feed port, “A4” designatedas a paper size, and “photographic paper” designated as a paper typecategory. When the print job 900 including the print settings 910 isissued, the printing apparatus performs the processing according to theflow illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 11B.

In this case, paper information in the bottom row of FIG. 12A includingsettings of “paper feeding unit B”, “A4” and “photographic paper” ismatched with the print settings of the print job. Thus, as a result ofthe processing illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the paper type “mattephoto paper” in the paper information 500 of the printing apparatus isidentified, and the paper type “matte photo paper” is set as a settingresult 1220 which is a print setting to be used for printing.

The print settings 1210 of the terminal apparatus in the case 2 includes“automatic” designated as a paper feed port, “L-size” designated as apaper size, and “photographic paper” designated as a paper typecategory. When the print job 900 including the designated settings isissued, either “paper feeding unit A” or “paper feeding unit B” may beused because “automatic” is designated as the paper feed port.Therefore, in step 1104 in FIG. 11A, paper information in the upper andlower rows in the paper information 500 is left as candidates. However,because the candidates are narrowed into the paper information in theupper row having “L-size” and “photographic paper” designated in theprint job, “glossy photo paper” as a paper type in the upper row isidentified as the setting result 1220.

The print settings 1210 of the terminal apparatus in the case 3 has“automatic”, set as a paper feed port, “A4” set as a paper size and“plain paper” set as a paper type category. When the print job 900having these settings designated is issued, no paper information 500 ofthe printing apparatus having settings matched with “A4” and “plainpaper” exists while either “paper feeding unit A” or “paper feeding unitB” may be used because “automatic” is designated as a paper feed port.Therefore, none of the paper types “glossy photo paper” and “matte photopaper” in the paper information 500 of the printing apparatus isselected. More specifically, the candidates are narrowed into the paperinformation in the lower row of FIG. 12A in step 1108 in FIG. 11A. Then,it is determined in step 1111 that paper information has not beenacquired, and the processing in step 1113 is executed. As a result, theprocessing in step 1006 in FIG. 10 is executed.

As described above, the processing in step 1006 (or processing to beperformed if print settings in a print job and paper information of aprinting apparatus are not matched) is not limited, but an errorindication is given on the display unit 126 in the printing apparatus120. The case 3 occurs when a user has improperly set paper to or hasperformed an improper registration operation on the printing apparatus120 or when an improper print setting is defined in the terminalapparatus 110. In such cases, an error notification may be given to auser in step 1006 so that the user may be prompted to check registeredpaper information or print settings in the terminal apparatus 110.

As described above, according to this embodiment, if paper informationregistered when paper are set in the printing apparatus 120 is matchedwith the print settings designated by a user in the terminal apparatus110, the paper information is selected as print settings for executingprinting. Thus, printing may be securely implemented in accordance withattributes (size, type) of print paper desired by a user and set in theprinting apparatus 120.

According to the present invention, a user may set a rough paper typecategory in the terminal apparatus 110 so that the detail paper typematched with the print paper set in the printing apparatus 120 isautomatically reflected to the print setting. This allows a user todesignate a paper type easily in the terminal apparatus 110 and thusprinting based on the detail paper type according to the paper set inthe printing apparatus 120.

According to this embodiment, a user roughly designates a paper typecategory in terminal apparatus 110. However, the present invention isnot limited thereto. For example, a user may designate a paper sizecategory indicating a category of paper size in the terminal apparatus110, and a detail paper size matched with the paper size category isautomatically reflected to the print setting in the printing apparatus120.

According to this embodiment, the CPU 121 in the printing apparatus 120operates as a print control apparatus of this embodiment and executesthe processing in FIG. 10. However, without limiting thereto, a serverapparatus may operate as the print control apparatus and execute theprocessing in FIG. 10, for example.

For example, a server apparatus may acquire paper information (500 inFIG. 5) from the printing apparatus 120 connected to the server over theInternet. The server apparatus may then receive the print job 900 fromthe terminal apparatus 110 and execute the processing in FIG. 10 in theserver apparatus. By performing the processing in FIG. 10, paperinformation matched with the print settings 910 included in the printjob 900 may be identified. The paper type category 904 included in theprint job 900 may be changed to the detail paper type 504 set in theidentified paper information, and the resulting print job may betransmitted from the server apparatus to the printing apparatus 120.

Also in this case, a user may set a paper type category as a roughsetting in the terminal apparatus 110 so that printing according to thedetail paper type corresponding to the paper set in the printingapparatus 120 may be executed.

Alternatively, a personal computer (PC) may operate as the print controlapparatus according to this embodiment.

According to this embodiment, when the printing apparatus 120 receives aprint job from the terminal apparatus 110 that is an external apparatus,the print settings are automatically determined, for example. Withoutlimiting thereto, a user may operate the operating unit 125 in theprinting apparatus 120, and an image stored in a memory within theprinting apparatus 120 or in an external memory such as a memory cardmounted in the printing apparatus 120. In this case, a print settingscreen as illustrated in FIG. 8 may be displayed on the display unit 126in the printing apparatus 120. Also in this case, a user may designaterough category information as a paper type so that printing may beexecuted based on the detail paper type corresponding to the print paperset in the printing apparatus 120.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention can also be realized by a computerof a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executableinstructions recorded on a storage medium (e.g., non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium) to perform the functions of one ormore of the above-described embodiment(s) of the present invention, andby a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, forexample, reading out and executing the computer executable instructionsfrom the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of theabove-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more ofa central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU), or othercircuitry, and may include a network of separate computers or separatecomputer processors. The computer executable instructions may beprovided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storagemedium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of ahard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), astorage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as acompact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™),a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

What is claimed is:
 1. A printing apparatus which communicates with aterminal apparatus, the printing apparatus comprising: at least oneprocessor; a memory configured to store information for specifying firstpaper attributes selectable on the terminal apparatus, wherein theprinting apparatus transmitting the information to the terminalapparatus results in the terminal apparatus displaying the first paperattributes, based on the information, and displaying, in the displayedfirst paper attributes, a first paper attribute that corresponds tosecond paper attributes selectable on the printing apparatus; and aprinting unit, wherein the at least one processor acquires a secondpaper attribute selected on the printing apparatus as a paper attributeof print paper set in the printing apparatus, wherein the at least oneprocessor receives a first paper attribute for printing of an image andwhich is selected by a user on the terminal apparatus from the displayedfirst paper attributes, wherein, in a case where the displayed firstpaper attribute corresponding to second paper attributes is received andany of the second paper attributes corresponding to the displayed firstpaper attribute is acquired, the at least one processor causes theprinting unit to print the image, and wherein, in a case where thedisplayed first paper attribute corresponding to second paper attributesis received and a second paper attribute different from the second paperattributes is acquired, the at least one processor causes the printingunit not to print the image.
 2. The printing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the at least one processor obtains a second paperattribute corresponding to each of a plurality of pieces of print paperset in the printing apparatus, and wherein the at least one processorselects, from the plurality of pieces of print paper, print paper onwhich the image is to be printed based on the obtained second paperattribute, and causes the printing unit to print the image on theselected print paper.
 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 2,further comprising a plurality of paper feeding units in which theplurality of pieces of print paper is to be set, wherein the at leastone processor receives a second paper attribute corresponding to each ofthe plurality of paper feeding units as a second paper attributecorresponding to each of the plurality of pieces of print paper, andwherein the at least one processor selects one of the plurality of paperfeeding units for printing the image so that print paper on which theimage is to be printed is selected from the plurality of pieces of printpaper.
 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the atleast one processor further receives information for designating one ofthe plurality of paper feeding units in the printing apparatus, andwherein the at least one processor causes the printing unit to print theimage in a case where any of the second paper attributes correspondingto the displayed first paper attribute is acquired as a second paperattribute of a designated paper feeding unit.
 5. The printing apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein, in a case where any of the second paperattributes corresponding to the displayed first paper attribute isacquired, the at least one processor causes the printing unit to printthe image in accordance with the second paper attribute.
 6. The printingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatustransmitting the information to the terminal apparatus further resultsin the terminal apparatus displaying first paper sizes as selectioncandidate paper sizes based on the information, and wherein the at leastone processor receives a first paper size which is selected by the useron the terminal apparatus from the displayed first paper sizes.
 7. Theprinting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the secondpaper attributes corresponds to a property of the print paper or acharacteristic of a surface of the print paper.
 8. The printingapparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one processorfurther receives, for printing of the image, a first paper size which isselected by the user on the terminal apparatus, wherein the at least oneprocessor further acquires a second paper size of the print paper set inthe printing apparatus, and wherein, in a case where the first papersize and the second paper size are matched and any of the second paperattributes corresponding to the displayed first paper attribute isacquired, the at least one processor causes the printing unit to printthe image.
 9. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theat least one processor receives, from the terminal apparatus, thedisplayed first paper attribute corresponding to second paperattributes.
 10. The printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein theat least one processor further receives, from the terminal apparatus,data corresponding to the image and causes the printing unit to printthe image based on the received data.
 11. The printing apparatusaccording to claim 10, wherein the at least one processor receives, fromthe terminal apparatus, a print job and the received data and thereceived first paper attribute are included in the received print job.12. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the secondpaper attribute selected on the printing apparatus and acquired by theat least one processor was selected by the user, wherein the at leastone processor registers the user-selected acquired second paperattribute, and wherein the at least one processor acquires theregistered second paper attribute.
 13. The printing apparatus accordingto claim 12, further comprising a display unit, wherein the at least oneprocessor causes the display unit to display a screen for registrationof a paper attribute and registers the user-selected acquired secondpaper attribute in accordance with an instruction received from the useron the screen.
 14. The printing apparatus according to claim 13, furthercomprising a sensor configured to detect opening or closing of a papercassette for setting print paper, wherein, in a case where the sensordetects that the paper cassette has been opened or closed, the at leastone processor causes the display unit to display the screen.
 15. Theprinting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a displayunit, wherein, in the case where the displayed first paper attributecorresponding to second paper attributes is received and the secondpaper attribute different from the second paper attributes is acquired,the at least one processor causes the display unit to display apredetermined display item, and wherein, in a case where the displayedpredetermined display item is designated by the user, the at least oneprocessor causes the printing unit to print the image.
 16. A method fora printing apparatus having a printing unit and which communicates witha terminal apparatus, the method comprising: storing information forspecifying first paper attributes selectable on the terminal apparatus,wherein the printing apparatus transmitting the information to theterminal apparatus results in the terminal apparatus displaying thefirst paper attributes, based on the information, and displaying, in thedisplayed first paper attributes, a first paper attribute thatcorresponds to second paper attributes selectable on the printingapparatus; acquiring a second paper attribute selected on the printingapparatus as a paper attribute of print paper set in the printingapparatus; receiving a first paper attribute for printing of an imageand which is selected by a user on the terminal apparatus from thedisplayed first paper attributes; causing, in a case where the displayedfirst paper attribute corresponding to second paper attributes isreceived and any of the second paper attributes corresponding to thedisplayed first paper attribute is acquired, the printing unit to printthe image; and causing, in a case where the displayed first paperattribute corresponding to second paper attributes is received and asecond paper attribute different from the second paper attributes isacquired, the printing unit not to print the image.
 17. A printingapparatus which communicates with a terminal apparatus, the printingapparatus comprising: at least one processor; a memory configured tostore information for specifying first paper sizes selectable on theterminal apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus transmitting theinformation to the terminal apparatus results in the terminal apparatusdisplaying the first paper sizes as selection candidates based on theinformation, and wherein a first paper size in the first paper sizesdisplayed on the terminal apparatus corresponds to second paper sizeswhich can be registered on a display unit of the printing apparatus; aprinting unit; and the display unit configured to display a screen,wherein, in a case where a sensor detects that a paper cassette forsetting pieces of print paper has been opened or closed, the displayunit is configured to display a screen for registration of a secondpaper size, wherein the at least one processor registers the displayedsecond paper size in accordance with an instruction received from a useron the registration screen displayed by the display unit, wherein the atleast one processor receives, for printing of an image, a displayedfirst paper size which is selected by the user on the terminal apparatusfrom the displayed first paper sizes, wherein, in a case where theregistered second paper size corresponds to the received first papersize, the at least one processor causes the printing unit to print theimage, and wherein, in a case where the registered second paper sizedoes not correspond to the received first paper size, the at least oneprocessor causes the printing unit not to print the image.
 18. Theprinting apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a pluralityof paper feeding units in which the plurality of pieces of print paperis to be set, wherein the displayed second paper size registered by theat least one processor corresponds to each of the plurality of paperfeeding units, and wherein, in a case where the registered second papersize corresponding to a paper feeding unit designated by the usercorresponds to the received first paper size, the at least one processorcauses the printing unit to print the image.
 19. The printing apparatusaccording to claim 17, wherein first paper types, selectable on theterminal apparatus, are specified by the information stored in thememory, wherein the printing apparatus transmitting the information tothe terminal apparatus results in the terminal apparatus displaying thefirst paper types as selection candidates based on the information,wherein the at least one processor further registers a displayed secondpaper type in accordance with an instruction received from the user onthe registration screen displayed by the display unit, wherein the atleast one processor further receives, for printing of the image, a firstpaper type which is selected by the user on the terminal apparatus fromthe displayed first paper types, and wherein, in a case where each ofthe registered second paper size and the registered second paper typecorresponds to each of the received first paper size and the receivedfirst paper type, the at least one processor causes the printing unit toprint the image.
 20. The printing apparatus according to claim 17,wherein, in a case where the registered second paper size does notcorrespond to the received first paper size, the at least one processorcauses the display unit to display a predetermined display item, andwherein, in a case where the displayed predetermined display item isdesignated by the user, the at least one processor causes the printingunit to print the image in accordance with the received first papersize.
 21. The printing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, in acase where the registered second paper size corresponds to the receivedfirst paper size, the at least one processor causes the printing unit toprint the image in accordance with the registered second paper size. 22.The printing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, in a case wherethe registered second paper size corresponds to the received first papersize, the at least one processor executes image processing on the imagein accordance with the registered second paper size.
 23. The printingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where any of thesecond paper attributes corresponding to the displayed first paperattribute is acquired, the at least one processor executes imageprocessing on the image in accordance with the acquired second paperattributed.